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FORS Version 5.0 to Introduce Counter Terrorism Requirements

It’s been two years since FORS released an update to its bronze, silver and gold standards – but the time has come for v5.0 which is being released this month to take effect in fleet audits from 14 January 2019.

One noteworthy introduction is the bronze requirement for transport operators to have counter terrorism policies and procedures in place; to name a counter terrorism champion and for members to complete the FORS Professional Security and Counter Terrorism eLearning module.

This is just one “key update” amongst a tranche of changes which include a restructure and renumbering of some requirements, though FORS says “there is no change in format (Requirement, Purpose and Demonstration)”.

In other news, noise pollution requirements have been shifted from a gold to silver, there’s new rules for vehicle safety equipment and sub-contractors are now also required to be FORS accredited.

We published a round-up of the FORS 4.0 two years ago when changes were made aimed at improving the environmental performance of fleets. In the latest update there doesn’t appear to be any overriding agenda driving the updates.

To find out about all the key updates named by FORS visit the website or read on below. Some of the main changes at v5.0 include:

Bronze

M1 FORS documentation – provides a single list of the policies and procedures that must be evidenced at audit

Under M4 Staff resources, the organisational chart needs to show the person with responsibility for fleet, the fleet health and safety, technical engineering advice, managing fuel and emissions, managing road risk, management of specialist operations and managing counter terrorism

The risk assessments required are listed under M8 Health and safety

Fuel and tyre management has been split into two separate requirements – now O2 Fuel, emissions and air quality, and V7 Tyre management

M6 Vehicle fleet – requires operators to maintain a register of the number, type and distribution of all vehicles in scope of FORS accreditation including registration mark/vehicle identification number for trailers

O7 counter terrorism – requires operators to have a policy and supporting procedures in place and name a Counter Terrorism Champion. Under the new Bronze training requirements at D4 Professional development, members must also complete the FORS Professional Security and Counter Terrorism eLearning module within the past 24 months

Silver

S6 Vehicle safety equipment – covers blind spot vision aids and audible warning systems. Fresnel lenses no longer permitted, but, to allow for older vehicles, a tolerance in the number of vehicles fitted with camera systems may be accepted for vehicles registered before 1 January 2015. Operators must use the FORS vehicle safety equipment report, which includes vehicle registration marks, to evidence this requirement

S5 Professional development – at the Silver re-approval audit, in addition to the FORS Professional Safe Urban Driving (SUD) or Van Smart classroom training every five years, drivers will also need to have completed the FORS Professional LoCITY Driving eLearning module in the past 24 months and a classroom course on reducing fuel consumption and vehicle emissions within the past five years. FORS has introduced transitional provisions to allow time for operators to complete the new training

S7 Noise pollution – previously a Gold requirement

S8 Internal communications – to ensure the flow of FORS information across the whole organisation